Ok, pure and simple. If I fix someone else's suffering, it doesn't
mean as much to them as if they fixed it. My pursuit of happiness may
inspire someone "one their own" to pursue it. As you said, this
change won't happen from laws - it has to come from within. But
people can't change other people. Everyone makes the changes they
make when they are ready. So, yes, I can be there for someone else,
but until they are ready to change - they're not gonna.
Could someone use the axiom to support their view that it doesn't
matter? that there's no point in helping those who suffer? Sure.
But look at the social welfare state in America. This came about
because noble people wanted to "ease the suffering." We now have a
system that doesn't work, encourages dependency and children who grow
up 'expecting' to be on welfare when they are older.
The same thing happens when we solve other's problems. NOTE: I AM
NOT SAYING WE SHOULD NEVER HELP ANOTHER PERSON - but change does come
from within - within THAT PERSON. To impose our belief on another
(and this is where the force of law argument came in) IS WRONG. To
help another see a different view which may benefit them - that seems
moral enough, but it's that attempt to force people to comply that
messes us up. America will never olve its crime problem as long as it
think it can legislate morality.
Shalom
David Lind
Trickster@postmark.net
MOQ Online Homepage - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
Unsubscribe - http://www.moq.org/md/index.html
MD Queries - horse@wasted.demon.nl
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:03:16 BST